Circular knitting machine and method of operating same



March 18, 194-1. A. L. PASS 2,235,726

CIRCULAR KNITTING MAQHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME F d April 19,19394.Shets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ARTHUR L. PASS BY HIS ATTORNEYS A. L. PASSMarch 1%, 1941.

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 2Filed April 19,- 1939 INVENTOR ARTHUR L. PASS BY HIS ATTORNEYS h 8, 9 A.L. I Ass 2,235,726

CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 19,1939- 4 Sheets-Sheet. 3

INVENTOR I IIIMIIHH ARTHUR L. PASS BY HIS ATTORNEYS Marcm, 1941.

A. L. PASS 2,235,726

CIRCLILAR KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed April 19,19259 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 67/ I I ,4 67,? 2/ H l A U, T

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INVENT4OR ARTHUR L. PASS 26 BY HIS ATTORNEYS 'ybmdmdw Patented Mar. 18,1941 CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Arthur L.Pass, Glen Ir aignor to Scott 8t isfiivictoria, Australia, as-

Incorporated,

Laconia, N. 11., a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 19,1939, Serial No. 268,793

21 Claim.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and methods ofmanipulating same. and more particularly to yarn feeders suitable forsuch machines when adapted to produce a multiplicity of flat fabrics onseparate groups of needles. It has heretofore been known to knit 'aplurality of separate fabrics on such a machine by means of two camboxes at different levels rotating about the cylinder in opposeddirections. In such machines each yarn feeder oscillates back and forthin front of its own group of needles to feed its yarn to those needlesonly. In this way separate fabrics are knit with selvage edges. Thisarrangement of feeders requires a separate feeder for each yarn in eachfabric produced, and also mechanism to reverse the direction of movementof the feeders as required. The fact that these feeders have anoscillatory movement is a great disadvantage, and slows down theoperation of the 20 machine. It is characteristic of the presentinvention that while the feeders rotate rather than oscillate, the yarnsthemselves oscillate. With v this arrangement there are no oscillatoryelements and the speed of the machine can be in- 25 creasedcorrespondingly.

The invention will be shown and described in a stationary needlecylinder circular knitting machine adapted to produce two selvagedfabric blanks each on its own group of needles, each- 30 group beingseparated from the other by blank spaces in the needle cylinder. Eachneedle or its operating jack has two butts arranged in such a mannerthat they may be actuated by cam boxes at two levels, thecam boxesmoving around the 35 cylinder with oppositely rotating movement. This isthe general type of machine shown in my Patent No. 2,125,197, dated July26, 1938, but it should be understood that the invention is applicableto any circular knitting machine where 40 the yarn can be fed to theneedles by having relative rotary movements between the yarn feeder andthe yarn at all times except when it is desired to feed the yarn to theneedles, at which time the yarn is caught and carried by the yarn 45finger, to be released again when the yarn is to be thrown out of actioIn the drawings, Fig. 1 is a plan view of part of the yarn feeders andassociated parts oi. a circular stationary 50 needle cylinder machineembodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a verticalview in section through thefeeder and trip rings of the machine of Fig. 1, showing the relation ofthe upper feeder to a trip and to the yarn and needles: to Fig. 3 is avertical'view in section through the feeders about to pass each other,the dotted lines 5 showing the positions at the moment of passing;

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a group of needles with a feederapproaching to pick up the yarn and begine feeding;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the feeder after it hasbegun ,to feed yarn to the needles; I

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation looking into the machine, showing thefeeder and triprings and the pinions for driving the former;

Fig. 8 is a view in elevation looking into the machine at another pointthan that of Fig. 7, showing the feederand trip rings and the means forindexing the latter;

Fig. 9 is -a view in front elevation of the bookof one of the feeders; 1

Fig. 10 is a sectional view taken on the line ill-ll of Fig. 9, lookingdown on the hook of one of the feeders;

Fig. 11 is a-view in elevation similar to Fig. 5, showing a double hookyarn feeder:

Fig. 12 is a sectional view through the double feeder of Fig. 11, takenon the line l2--l2 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 13 is a. diagram in plan of the relative posi- 3 tions of theneedles and the hooks of the double feeder of Figs. 11 and 12;

, Fig. 14 is a view in side elevation showing a selvage bit for holdingby feeders such as shown in Fig. 11, twoyarns in position to be pickedup when Plating;

Fig. 15 is a plan view of a modified form of trip for dumping the upperfeeder;

Fig. 16 is a plan view of a modified form of spring-return trip fordumping the lower feeder;

Fig. 17 is a plan view of a preferred form of cam means acting to permitthe yarn feeders to pass each other;

Fig. 18 is a vertical view in section through a modified form of feedersand trips to eliminate interference between trip and feeder arm, showingthe lower feeder and trip arm;

Fig. 19 is a vertical view in section through the modified form offeeders and trips of Fig. 18, showing the cam of Fig. 17 in. contactwith both feeders; while a Fig. 2201s a view in elevation from the rearof the machine, showing two cam boxes for actuating the needles. I

In knitting in a reciprocatory manner on a circular machine, it hasheretofore been necessary to have parts of the machine oscillate aboutthe needle circle. This slowed up the machine and lessened production.As already mentioned, it has been possible to eliminate oscillation ofthe parts actuating the needles, 1. e., the cam boxes, in a machine ofthe type of my prior patent, but even in that machine there still wereoscillating yarn guides with which to contend. My present inventionpermits rotation of the yarnguides, leaving no part of the machine tooscillate about the needle cylinder although the yarns themselves stilloscillate. The mechanism for feeding the yarns and the manipulationthereof are the novel features of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the posts l which are to carry the yarnfeeders and associated machanisms are mounted on the main bedplate ofthe machine around the needle cylinder 260. Since the needle cylinder isstationary, the yarn feeders must revolve around it, and for thispurpose each feeder is mounted on a separate large ring above thecylinder. Thus in Fig. 2 there are two bearing rings 2 and 5, carried bythe post supporting the revolving feeder rings 3 and 4. There are twotrip rings 2| and 23 supported in a similar manner by bearing rings 20and 22 above the rings 2 and 5. The feeder rings 3 and 4 are providedwith gear teeth on their outer periphery and are rotated in oppositedirections by the small pinion gears 5|, 52 (see Figs. 1 and 7). Thepinion 5| drives the lower feeder ring 3, while the pinion 52, meshingwith 5|, drives the upper feeder ring 4 in the opposite direction.

The pinion 5| is carried and driven by a vertical shaft 54 on the lowerend of which is a pinion (not shown) meshing with the lower gear ring 39of my prior patent.

Each feeder comprises a feeder arm supporting the feeder proper, andwhich feeder proper is adapted to rotate onits own axis for the novelpurposes hereinafter set forth. The feeder armB for the upper feeder Ais longer than the arm I for the lower feeder B, so that while thefeeding ends present the yams to the needles at the same point, thefeeders otherwise are at different angles and are not in interferencewith each other except at the feeding ends. As shown in Figs. 3 and 4,the lower feeder B comprises essentially the arm I which has on it twoupstanding lugs 1| and 12, one near the upper end and one at the lowerend. The upper half of the lower feeder proper takes the form of a shaft13 mounted in a rotary manner in the lugs H, 12, while the lower half ofthe feeder takes the form of a flat spring 14 terminating in a hook 15(see Figs. 3, 9 and 10) through which the yarn runs as it is fed intothe needles. The open end of the hook faces in the direction of rotationof the feeder (Figs. 5 and 6). The edges of the open end are bevelled tofacilitate reception and dis charge of the yarn. 0n the shaft 13 formingthe upper half of the feeder and located just above the lower lug 12 isa collar 16 with a set screw 3 therein holding the feeder proper inposition in the arm I (see Fig. 4).

It is an essential feature of my invention that the yarn feeders be ableto pick up and drop a yarn without in any way disturbing the constantrotation of the feeders about the needle cylinder, and this'is thereason for the open hooks. Normally the open hooks face in thedirections of rotation of the feeders aboutthe needle cylinder. Thelower feeder B is maintained in its 75 directional position by thefollowing mechanism.

Coiled around the shaft 13 forming the upper half of the feeder properis a spring 9, the lower end of the spring being threaded in the collar16 which is tight on the shaft 13. The upper end of the coiled spring 9rests against the side of the arm I which brings it in opposed relationto the other end of the spring. Mounted on the shaft 13 above the coiledspring and the upper ing H is a collar 8 with an ear 8| thereonprojecting from the periphery of the collar. This collar is held tighton the shaft 13 by means of a set screw, and may be termed the operatingcollar for the feeder. The projecting ear or arm 8| faces in such adirection that pressure against its face will turn the shaft 13 againstthe tension of spring 9. If desired, a suitable pin can be placed insome rotating part associated with the feeder proper to insure that thehook 15 will be held in proper feeding position with open side forwardexcept when a trip or striker hits the arm 8| on the collar 8.

The upper feeder A is constructed in a manner very similar to that ofthe lower feeder B, with lugs 6| and 62 on the arm 6, shaft 63 formingthe upper half of the feeder proper, a spring 64 forming the lower halfand a hook on the lower end of the spring. A collar 66 is similar to thecollar 16 in its function and location, but the spring 9' is coiled inthe opposite direction from spring 9 of the lower feeder. It might alsobe noted that the shaft 63 is shorter than shaft 13 of the lower feeder.It should further be noted that the projecting ear ||l| on the operatingcollar ||l faces in a direction .opposite to that of the ear 8| on thecollar 8 of the lower feeder.

This, taken in conjunction with the fact that the hook 65 On the lowerend of the upper feeder normally faces in the opposite direction fromthe hook 15 of the lower feeder, and that the two feeders are rotatingaround the cylinder in opposite directions, means that if the ears 8|and H are struck the two feeders will release or dump their yarns byrotating on their own axes toward the center of the machine. The

hooks are then in reversed positions where the that they free or dumptheir yarns is as follows.

The trips I for the upper yarn feeder A and the trips |2 for the loweryarn feeder B are mounted on short bars l3, |4, respectively. The tripsact as strikers. These bars I3, M are carried by the indexing trip rings2|, 23 supported above the feeder rings 3, 4. by bearing rings 20, 22 onposts I. These rings are racked around if the fabric is beingfashioned-otherwise they are stationary. The trip H for the upper feederconsists merely of a stationary finger projecting downwardly andinwardly from the bar l3 into the path of the projecting arm |U| on theoperating collar ID. The trip l2 for the lower feeder, however, lies in.the path of the upper feeding arm 6 and would of the feeder arm, thenreturning to its operative position due to the tension of the spring.When the lower feeder arm B approaches from the opposite direction, thetrip held by the pin l6 strikes the projecting ear Bl on the collar 8and causes the hooked end of the feeder to release or dump its yarn.

As the two feeder rings 3 and 4 revolve, it is therefore necessary toprovide some means for getting the hooks out of each others paths whenthe feeders pass each other. The machine is so adjusted that the feederspass each other first in one of the blank sections of the cylinder andthen the other (see Fig. l). Fastened on the lower side of the flatspring 84 is a small cam 61 which projects into the path of the flatspring it (see Fig. i), and when the two feeders come up to each other,this camwhich projects ahead of the feeder slightly as shown in Fig. 1,will strike the flat spring of the lower-feeder and the two springs 64and 14 will bend apart to the dotted position shownin Fig. 4. Thispermits the hooked ends of the feeders to pass each other withoutinterference. The cam 61 holds the two springs apart until the feedersare sufllciently,

past each other, when the cam rides oii the spring of the lower feederand the hooks snap back to their normal paths.

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As shown in Fig. l, the yarn Y approaches the knitting point by passingover the outside of a yarn vguide ring it lying a slight distance out-Each yarn passes above-mentioned, the needles in each group are actuatedin succession by two cam hoses ll and di l rotating in oppositedirections.

it will he seen that the yarn leeders move in a rotary manner indirections opposite to each other and that only the yarns oscillate.

In my pi'l lll' patent alcove-mentioned, the ma chine is adapted tomales a lull-fashioned stoclrt ing hlanlt, which involves draduallychandin the number of active needles in a roup. it will now describe theconstruction hy which the ieeders oi" the present invention may he usedin matting fashioned stocklna hlanlrs and also in putting in sectionalsplicing. this capability depends on the manner of rnoturtine the l i,it, hecause i find that merely hy racldna these trips eircurzderentiallya short distance each time, the nuniher oi active needles to which theyarn is led is reduced. it desired, the nhcr of active needles can healtered as shown in my prior patent. lire loraclrets in l oi the presentapplication may indicate narrowing needles. To achieve this end thetrips ii, iii, instead oi heina mounted in a stationary manner, arecarried by the trip rings ll, it (see l ies. li). [is the parts appearin Fla. 1, the rin ill-l carrying the trips it is racked clochwise whennarrowina the fabric, while the ring it carryina the trips ii for theupper feeder is moved counterclockwise at that time. The mechanism hywhich the rings are racked is shown in Figs. 1 and ii and is a device,somewhat similar to that shown at the top of Fig. 3 of my prior patent.

It includes two rings 2! and 23, each hearing a double row of rackingteeth on its periphery. The two rows of teeth on ring 2| are opposed toeach other and the two rows of teeth on ring 23 are also opposed to eachother. These rings with their teeth are so mounted on the machine thatthe upper row 24 of ring 2| can he racked in a counter-clockwisedirection; the lower row 25 of the same ring, clockwise. The upper row24 of ring 23 can also be racked clockwise, and the lower row 25 of thatring, counter-clockwise. By means of pawls 42 and 43 acting on theseteeth, the trip rings can be indexed in either direction at will. Thesepawls are mounted on a shaft 44 facing in the direction shown in Figs. 1and 8. They are held toward the corresponding teeth by springs 46. Ascan be seen in Figs. 1 and 8, when a pawl 42 is in engagement with itsupper row of teeth, the pawl 43 is back out of engagement with the lowerrow of teeth on the same ring. This can be done automatically by meansof a vertical cam bar it located just outside the hubs ofthe pawls (seeFig. 1). There is a pin 41 projecting outwardlyfrorn the hub of eachpawl beside and beyond the cam bar 46. The edges of the latter areirregular in shape to provide camming surfaces such that verticalmovement of the bar in one direction will encage the pawls M with theirteeth while movement in the opposite direction will engage the pawls $3,each movement retracting the companion pawl.

The pawls are mounted on a shaft dli'astened in a block d8 slidingradially oi the machine in a horizontal yoke did, The block id alsosupports the cam har dd. The operating connections for the sliding hlockid and the cam bar it can be some distance below the hlocl: and areadapted to position har id and to cause the short radial reciprocatorymovements necessary to have the pawls racist the rings ii and Theconstruction of the machine of Figs. l to ill having been described, itsoperation will now be set forth. Lotus assume that the machine is readyto begin the knitting of another course of stitches on each of the twostocking lolanlrs being made on the machine. it will he noted that theyarn i? in Fig. ii, alter leaving the yarn talteup, passes outside theamide ring ill and then turns and goes straight to the last needle it inthe hauls. at a point on a level with the throat or" the sinker iii. Thefeeders .d and id at this time are just approaching their respectiveneedle hanks. its each feeder approaches the first usedle in the haul:ahead oi it, the open end of its hoolr or it will engage the yarn whichis held at the correct angle hy the euide ring t'lontinued rotation ofthe yarn ieeder will cause the yarn to he led to the needles in theusual way, as shown in ii. The feeders proceed across the entire hanir.he soon as the sinlrer S heyond the that active needle N has encased theyarn, the protruding; arms ill and till on the collars and ill oi thefeeder arms will he struclr lay the trip levers it and ii, respectively,thus causina the feeders to rotate on their own ares. This rotation oithe leaders on their own ares causes the heels ends till, it to reversetheir positions so that the open mouths now lace backward, thus spillingthe yarn out and releasing it irons the feeders entirely. The yardtakeup immediately takes up all the siach yarn due to the over-run ofthe feeders past the last needles, and the yarn assumes a positionsimilar to that prevailing prior to the start of the course just knittedand as lil fill

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shown in Fig. 5. After the trips I! and I2 are passed by the feeders,the hooks of the latter resume their normal position on their axes withthe open ends of the hooks facing in the direction of rotation. The twofeeders now pass each other in one of the blank sections of the cylinderbetween the two groups'of needles. The cam 61 on the upper feeder Acontacts the spring 14 of the lower feeder B and the two hooks aredeflected, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, so as to allow passage ofthe feeders one above the other. The cycle of operation is now repeated,with each yarn moving in the reverse direction through the same bank ofneedles but actuated by the other feeder.

When the fabric is being fashioned, the pawls 2 or 43 are actuated. Thiswill serve to change the position of the trips ii and I2, for any onebank of needles, in relation to each other for a distance equivalent tothe number of needles by which the fabric is being fashioned at thatcourse.

If desired, two yarns can be fed simultaneously to each bank of needlesby mounting two hooks on each feeder arm. Two separate feeder arms couldalso be used. The position of these two hooks on one feeder arm is shownin Fig. 11, and the manner in which the yarns are presented to thosehooks is shown in Figs. 13 and 14, where an extra yarn guide ring [9 isplaced inside the regular guide ring i8 so that the yarns Y and Yapproach the needles at separated points both circumferentially andradially. These yarns are fed in plating relation from two hooks mountedon one feeder arm, as shown in Fig. 11. The flat springs carrying thehooks are alongside each other with the hook of one somewhat closer tothe needles than the other, as shown in Fig. 13. The lower lug on thearm 6 carrying the flat spring is enlarged to carry the upper ends ofboth springs, as shown at 622 in Fig. 11. In this modification thecollar and set screw just above the lower lug in the feeders A and B ofFigs. 1 to 10 are replaced by small pinions 162 which are kept in properrotational relation with each other by a short rack bar I63 meshing withboth pinions. When the projecting ear on the operating collar is struckby a. trip, the two fiat springs turn simultaneously, dumping bothyarns. Instead of the clearing cam 61 used on the flat spring for theupper feeder A of Figs. 1 to 10, two complemental clearing cams 68, 69are placed on the two fiat springs, side by side, as shown in Fig. 11.These function in much the same manner as cam 61. If the machine is soconstructed as to require the two hooks to be tripped in succession, orthere are hooks for sectional splicing, then separate feeders may beused.

The principal purpose in having the two hooks at different distancesfrom the needles is to enable the hooks to pick up their own yarn,- andthe manner in which those yarns are presented to the two hooks of thefeeder is shown in Fig. 14.

- The separation obtained from the yarn guides ll,

I9 can be maintained with still greater certainty by the use of aslotted instrument introduced into the paths of the yarn just prior tothe tripping motion of the feeders as they finish passing across thegroup of needles in making the fabric. This instrument, which may be aselvage bit 88, consists of a flat blade having two slots 89, at theouter end. The lower slot 90 is shorter than the upper one 89. Thisselvage bit 88 can be slidably mounted on the cylinder top 26| and canbe operated by lever mechanism carried by the stationary parts of themachine which support the yarn takeup and which lever mechanism can beactuated from a short cam path and block located in duplicate on therevolving sinker ring (not shown). This selvage bit is projectedoutwardly as the feeder passes by and is withdrawn when thefeeder'coming in the opposite direction has picked up the yarn. Ifdesired, the selvage bit can be eliminated and the sinker used tomaintain the necessary separation of the two yarns.

Modified forms of trips for the feeders are shown in Figs. 15, 16. Theseforms are somewhat simpler than those shown in Figs. 1-10. The hip inFig. 15 is for the the upper feeder. It comprises merely a. plate Hihaving a. portion proiecting into the path of the ear Illl. The trip forthe lower feeder is very similar, comprising the trip I22 itself, atension spring I55 to pull it towards its operating position and a pini66 to determine that position. On machines where the fabric is aconstant width, these trips would not be required to be indexed andtherefore could be fastened to any convenient stationary part of themachine, such as arms I8I.

Another arrangement of trips and feeders is shown in Figs. 18 and 19.These views show a simpler method of avoiding interference between vshown in Figs. 17 and 19. In distinction to cam 6?, which was carried onthe upper feeder A itself, the preferred cam 6' is mounted on thecylinder top 26! by a bracket 612. The cam is tapered in both directionson both upper and lower edges, thus forming a double-ended wedge withthe long axis parallel to the periphery of the needle cylinder. Thepoints or ends of the wedge can be fractionally off the line of the longaxis on opposite sides, if desired, to insure that the feeders engageopposed faces of the cam. As shown in Figs. 17 and 19, one feedertravels on the upper edge of the cam and the other feeder on the loweredge, so that they are cammed or sprung out of each others path whenpassing. By this preferred form of cam the shock of passage of the twofeeders is reduced and the presence of a cam on one of the feedersitself is eliminated.

It will be observed that by using the mechanism just described, theyarns reciprocate back and forth across their fabric, thereby giving theregular selvaged fabric of a full-fashioned stock- .ing blank, but noparts by which the knitting threads are controlled have a correspondingreciprocatory movement. This paradoxical condition is due to the novelfeeder and its manipulation and enables the machine to run at full speedwith a tremendously increased production over previous machines havingoscillatory yarn feeders.

Many modifications which come within the scope of my invention willoccur to those skilled in the art. Thus the invention is applicable toany circular knitting machine where it is desired to have a yarn feederpick up a yarn, have relative movement past the series of needles towhich the yarn is fed, and then drop the yarn.

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assesses What I claim is: l. in a circular knitting machine, a circle ofneedles and a yarn supply, in combination with two yarn feeders havingcircumferential movement past the needles in opposite directions. eachfeeder being adapted to take yarn from said supply, present it to aplurality of needles by means of its circumferential movement and thenrelease the yarn for engagement by the other feeder.

2. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylincler, two or moregroups of needles therein having spaces therebetween and a yarn supplyfor each group of needles, in combination with .two' yarn feeders'havingcircumferentialmovemerit past the needles in opposite directions, eachfeeder being adapted to pick up yarn from one of the supplies, presentthe yarn to the associated group of needles and then release it in aspace between needle groups for engagement by the other feeder.

' 3. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder, a plurality ofgroups of needles in said cylinder divided into banks for thesimultaneous manufacture of a plurality of separate fabrics, andaseparate yarn supply for each group of needles, incombination with twoyarn feeders having circumferential movement past the needles inopposite directions, each feeder being adapted in turn to pick up yarnfrom one of the supplies, present it to the needles of one group in thedirection of rotation of that feeder, then release the yarn and repeatthe sequence on another yarn supply and group of needles.

d. lin a circular knitting machine, a circle of needles divided intoseparated banks and a sepa-- rate yarn supply for each bank, incombination with two yarn feeders having circumferential movement aroundthe needle circle in opposite directions, each feeder being adapted totake a yarn from one of the supplies and present it to the needles inthe associated group in the direction of the feeders rotation, andtripping means adapted to cause the feeder to dump its yarn in the spacebetween two adjacent banks of needles.

5. in a circular knitting machine having a cirole of needles dividedinto separated banks for the simultaneous manufacture of a plurality ofseparate fabrics, the provision of a separate yarn supply for each bankof needles, in combination with two yarn feeders rotating in oppositedirections around the needle circle and adapted alternately to take theyarn for one bank and then the other, feed it across the related bank inthe direction of movement of the feeder and then release it, and meansenabling said two feeders to pass each other in the space between twobanks.

ii. in. a circular knitting machine having a cirsic of needles dividedinto separated banks for the simultaneous manufacture of a plurality ofseparate fabrics, the provision of a separate yarn supply for eachfabric, in combination with two yarn feeders rotating in ohl i sitedirections around the needle circle, each feeder picking up and feedingthe yarn to theneedles in one bank in its direction of rotation, thenreleasing the yarn and repeating the sequence on the other yarn supplyand bank, and means on said feeders enabling them to pass each otheri inthe space between two banks.

'7. In a circular knitting machine, a plurality of separate groups ofneedles, a yarn supply for each group of needles and two cam blocksrotating in opposite directions to actuate the needles in each group insuccession, in combination with two yarn feeders eachfeeding yarn to allthe groups,

the yarn feeders rotating in opposite directions in cooperation with thecam blocks and picking up and dropping the yarn. for each needle groupas it approaches andleaves that group.

8. in a circular knitting machine adapted to knit a plurality ofseparated fabrics simultaneously on separated groups of needles, 2. pairof oppositely rotating cam blocks in combination with a pair ofoppositely rotating yarn feeders, each feeder presenting yarn to theneedles for knitting in cooperation with one of the cam blocks, and ayarn supply means for each group of needles, each yarn feeder beingadapted to carry a yarn across its group of needles in the direction ofmovement of the feeder and then release it.

9. In a circular knitting machine, a circle of needles divided intoseparated groups and a yarn supply for each group, in combination withtwo yarn feeders rotating oppositely about the needle circle, eachfeeder being adapted to take a yarn from the yarn supply, present it tothe associated needles and then release it, one or more of said feederscontaining a spring whereby said feeders may pass each other freely inthe space between two groups of needles. 7

10. In a circular knitting machine, a yarn supply, a group of needlesstationary with relation thereto, in combination with a yarn feederhaving movement past the needles and yarn supply and cooperating to feedyarn from the supply to the needles, said, feeder comprising an openhook facing in the direction of movement and a member carrying said hookadapted to be turned to release any yarn in the hook.

11. In a circular knitting machine, a yarn supply and a group of needlesstationary with relation thereto, in combination with a yarn feederhaving movement past the needles and yarn supply and cooperating to feedyarn from the supply to the needles, said feeder comprising an open hookfacing in the direction of movement of the feeder, a member carryingsaid hook revoluhle on its axis to turn the hook in the reversedirection, a spring tending to hold said hook facing in the direction ofmovement and a trip mounted on the machine having movement relative tosaid feeder adapted to turn the hook and release the yarn.

if. in a circular knitting machine, a yarn supply and a group of needlesstationary with relation thereto, a yarn feeder having movement pastyarn supply and needles and cooperating to feed yarn from one to theother, a hook forming part of said feeder facing in the direction ofmovement of the feeder and adapted to present yarns to the needles, incombination with 1 a trip having movement relatively to the yarn feederand movable with relation to the needles when it is desired to changethe length of travel of the yarn past the needles.

iii. in a circular knitting machine, a circle of needles divided intoseparated bankaa separate yarn supply for each bank, an even number ofyarn feeders having movement around the circle equally divided betweenfeeders moving in one and the opposite directions, each feeder comyarnto a plurality of needles by such movement, then releasing it from saidelement and picking it up in a similar element moving in the oppositedirection and feeding the yarn to a plurality of needles in the oppositedirection, all While actuating the needles to knit each time the yarn ispresented to them.

15. In a process of circularly knitting a plurality of separate fabricson separated groups of a circle of needles, the steps of actuating theneedles of each group in succession, first in one direction and then inthe other, simultaneously feeding each group of needles from its ownyarn supply by means of two yarn feeders rotating in opposite directionspicking up the yarn from that group, feeding it to the needles and thenreleasing it for actuation by the other feeder.

16. In a process of circularly knitting a plurality of separate fabricson separated groups of a circle of needles, the steps of actuating theneedles of each group, in succession, first in one direction and then inthe other and simultaneously with such actuation feeding each group ofneedles from its own yarn supply by means of two yarns feeders rotatingin opposite directions, each yarn feeder picking up the 'yarn for onefeed, feeding it to that group of needles, then releasing it andrepeating for the adjacent group, while the other feeder performs thesame sequence of operation in the other direction around the circle.

17. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder and needlestherein, in combination with a relatively stationary yarn guiding meansextending along a group of needles and adapted to present yarn to theneedles in a circumferentially free and radially correct manner and ayarn feeder having circumferential movement past the needles, saidfeeder being adapted to pickup the yarn extending from the guidingmeans, present it to a plurality of needles and then release it.

18. In a circular knitting machine, a needle cylinder and needlestherein, a relatively stationary guide edge extending past a pluralityof needles and along which yarn can slide circumferentially and adaptedto present yarn to the needles in a. radially correct position, and asupply of body yarn, in combination with a yarn 19. In a circularknitting machine, a needle I cylinder and needles therein, a relativelystationary guide edge extending past a plurality of needles and alongwhich yarn can slide circumferentially, and a supply of body yarn, incom-.

bination with a yarn feeder having circumferential movement past theneedles and adapted to pick up the body yarn coming from the guide edgeand feed it to a plurality of needles, and means adapted to cause saidyarn feeder thereafter to drop the yarn by rotation of the feeder aboutits own axis.

20. In a circular knitting machine, a circle of needles and a yarnsupply, in combination with a guide extending along a group of needlesand adapted to present yarn from the supply to the needles in acircumferentially free and radially correct manner and a yarn feederhaving circumferential movement past the needles, said feeder beingadapted to contact the yarn between the guide and the needles, move itcircumferentially, thereby causing its presentation 0 a plurality ofneedles, and then release it.

21. In a circular knitting machine, a circle of needles and a yarnsupply, in combination with a circumferentially stationary guideextending along a group of needles and adapted to present yarn from thesupply to the needles in a circumferentially free manner and a yarnfeeder having circumferential movement past the rice dies, said feederbeing adapted'to contact the yarn between the guide and the needles,move it circumferentially along the guide, thereby causing itspresentation to a plurality of needles, and then release it by rotationof the feeder about its own axis.

ARTHUR L. PASS.

